I was blind but now I see

I was blind but now I see 

Have you ever really thought about that famous line? Until recently I hadn’t thought much about what it is like to be blind – or deaf for that matter. That is, until I read The Story of My Life by Helen Keller. As you probably know, Helen was both blind and deaf.

Helen speaks of being unable to communicate, to even think with clarity. Words were unknown to her – a strange concept to those of us who have acquired language from infancy. She likens her isolation as a child to a ship lost in a great fog, trying to find the shore, waiting in the fearful unknown, the silent darkness.

Then came love in the tangible form of Miss Anne Sullivan, her teacher. Knowledge and understanding would soon be hers. Her eyes would be opened as ours are when our Saviour comes to find us: He who opens our eyes that we may see, our ears that we may hear.

…knowledge is happiness, because to have knowledge – broad, deep knowledge – is to know true ends from false, and lofty things from low… and if one does not feel in these pulsations a heavenward striving, one must indeed be deaf to the harmonies of life.

Helen’s writings are a timeless demonstration of this, from the awakening of her heart, mind and soul when her teacher came in her childhood, to her burgeoning growth in academia.

However, what struck me most was her sheer gratitude and pleasure in living. Helen Keller saw more beauty and colour in the opening of a single bud than I ever have in a field of wildflowers. Her ears heard the approaching thunder while seeming to lack the ability, and she heard the warmth of a friend’s voice in the simplicity of their presence. She was excited by life; she was grateful. She lived and loved every moment. Miss Keller shares the detail in the darkness, the solace in the silence, hope and joy in all things.

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content… So I try to make the light in others’ eyes my sun, the music in others’ ears my symphony, the smile on others’ lips my happiness.

Helen talks of books as though they were familiar friends that granted her eyes and ears. They were a window to other worlds, cultures, places, friends and foes, adventures and longings of the hearts of others. Her joy makes my own gratitude pale into shadows, but I am not sad or guilt-ridden at this—rather, I am challenged.

I read her expressions with a sense of a torch being passed, and I share this now with my fellow writers. How might we meet the challenge to give senses to the stories being tapped out on our keyboards? As a writer I long not only for life to be breathed into my words, but that the life in them be wholly unconnected to me.

Can my words be alive with the sense of the Saviour? Can they breathe humanity in an almost soul-like quality?

Trying to write is very much like trying to put a Chinese puzzle together. We have a pattern in mind which we wish to work out in words; but the words will not fit the spaces, or, if they do, they will not match the design. But we keep on trying because we know that others have succeeded, and we are not willing to acknowledge defeat.

How true those words. I find it odd that in taking a look at what it is like to be without sight or hearing, I feel better prepared to put my puzzles together.

In a word, literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourse of my book-friends.

What I gleaned from Helen Keller’s writings will stay with me forever. My question is: will our own impressions made permanent in ink, make the same impact? I’m interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.

All quotes from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

 

Are Your Words Salty Enough?

I sometimes find myself pondering the implications of our profession as Christians and how it may differ to others. How do I experience and handle my writing and illustrating career differently to those who do not have the kind of relationship I have with God?  Is there a difference?  What does that mean, and how do I process that and how does that influence my decisions and outcome?

Personally, I believe there are some enormous and important differences!  

“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth.  If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?  You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. 

 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.  We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you?  I’m putting you on a light stand.  Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives.  By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. ~  Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 5:13-16

I am not a big fan of the Message translation but I felt these two passages were a perfect for what I wanted to illustrate. 

God’s salt to the devil is like table salt to a slug - Let us be SALTY!

SALT & LIGHT...

SOURCE: The key to all I do is to do it safely through prayer and trust. Even Christ followers can underestimate the value of prayer – isn’t that crazy! Over time God has shown me the undeniable power in the name of Jesus. I would be crazy not to submit my career to prayer regularly, when I say prayer - I mean both speak and listen!

REASON: I need to be mindful of my intention and outcome when I create anything. I need to understand what God has placed in my heart for the Works.  Life is short, and we can only produce so much, so I want to make my Works count and have a little foresight in God’s direction.  For this reason (after considerate prayer) I wrote down the answer to why I write and illustrate and what I want my writing to say and do.  I cannot tell you how much this has helped me!

I came up with three significant words I call the ETrinity (edify, encourage and empower). The 3 e’s are at the centre and forefront of my mind when I work.  Should the enemy try to distract me, or should I take even the slightest detour, I can decipher this when remembering my 3 E’s.  These are my ‘SALT and LIGHT’, and at the core of my heart. This is what God wants me to have the courage to express through my voice.

OPPOSITION: In any business there is opposing or competing elements that can create resistance.  We are in the business of God. He has our back and we have a different opposition to contend with.  We need to be aware of how the business works in the world but we also of the fight unseen. 

Knowing how God works against this opposition I turn to my personal assistant; the one I need to consult each morning and makes a difference to every day. My assistant is wise beyond all measure and has the amazing ability to find solutions to every concern.  My assistant’s name is Bible. My days ignoring Bible or prayer are always harder than need be. I am trying to be more habitual about this essential time. 

MANAGEMENT: Less planning and more flexing. Am I truly letting God lead my career path and making my time count or am I just indulging myself?

If we haven’t already figured it out, we eventually will; life following Jesus is unpredictable, exciting and sometimes challenging but always incredibly fruitful. In my humanness to manage MY business, I can sometimes forget it is not MY business - I gave it to God! 

I am a great believer in planning. I have mind maps, lists and filing systems that probably look OCD to some, but I am also open to godly interruptions. God owns my time, my life and my career. This has come in the guise of a stressed and lost person at my door, a person broken down on the side of the road, a prayer meeting I have no time for and even shifts of well panned ideas. The interruptions to my time-deprived days are numerous but I know God is behind a generous life and when I feel at peace, I have to be flexible and trust.  He is my time manager. The challenge at times, is to determine what is a distraction from God and not one from the enemy.

Why are you here?  What is your salt and light and at the core of your career and who is managing your time and business?

I pray you use every minute and every written word to honour our beautiful Jesus. I also pray that you harness the awesome power of prayer and God’s anointing, and God blesses the words that fall from your hearts with salt and light. Whether writing for mainstream or a Christian audience, may all we do eventuate in multiplying our family, and somehow draw others into a more intimate relationship with a Father who adores them.

 

Kayleen West is a children's book Author and Illustrator from Victoria. Her new picture book Adoptive Father can be found at www.adoptivefather.org

Her portfolio can be seen at: www.kayleenwest.com.au

Knocked Down, But Not Out

Knocked Down, But Not Out

The 90’s song I get knocked down but I get up again makes me think of an inflated vinyl toy I had in the 70’s. Bozo the clown was weighted at the bottom and you could punch the life out of  him. He  would pop right back up, smile at you, begging you to hit him again. What a violent child I must I have been!

I’ve been studying a travel-writing course the last few weeks and I would have enjoyed giving Bozo a few punches as I dealt with frustration. The feedback on my first assignment was very positive. My confidence was boosted and I told myself the course was going to be a breeze.

When the Lord finished the world, He pronounced it good. That is what I said about my first work, too. But Time, I tell you, Time takes the confidence out of these incautious early opinions. — Mark Twain

The next week, the lecturer was totally perplexed by my idea and couldn’t figure out what I was thinking. It’s an online course, so the feedback is oral. You read everyone else’s work and also hear the feedback. 

 I’d only done a short piece and written one part in detail as an example of how the article would flow. I wrote more than anyone else and we weren’t supposed to write the whole article. I could hear the questions in the lecturer’s voice and the struggle to come up with something positive.

So, this week I basically wrote the whole article and she commented that wasn’t necessary. She also said I could be more original in the choices of activities I chose.

These words came to mind:

I get knocked down

But I get up again

You're never going to keep me down

CHUMBAWAMBA

Critiquing yourself, and having others critique your work, is crucial. How else do you learn?

As I’ve worked, studied and written the last few years, I’ve had my share of humiliation and frustration, along with some success. If we’re learning, developing and willing to learn from our mistakes, we will improve.

My goal is to be able to write and be at a level that is world class. I’m not sure what that means exactly and who decides if you’ve made it or not, but I strive to become better at what I do.

“Success teaches us nothing; only failure teaches.” Hyman G. Rickover

Later this year I have the privilege of going to a creative writing summer school at Oxford University. I didn’t think I’d be accepted, however, I sent in my application, writing samples and references. I told myself, there’s no point in not trying is there? After the acceptance date passed, I made other plans, but at midnight last Tuesday an email arrived offering me a place. 

Shall I tell you the secret of the true scholar? It is this: Every man I meet is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’m hoping this opportunity will push me and help me become a better writer. I’m positively scared to show my work to an Oxford lecturer and hear the criticism. I’m sure I’ll cry and want to give up writing altogether, but I hope that I will have the character to get back up again.

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.

C.S. Lewis

When I want to run away and hide, I’ll remember this:

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. Proverbs 1:5

Elaine Fraser

www.beautifulbooks.co

Writerly Advice for the Everyday.

I've been thinking lately about the advice given to writers and how that advice might just be as relevant for everyday living as for turning dreams of a book into reality.

Consider, for example, the old, repeated advice 'If you want to write, you have to write. Write, write, write!'  If we translated this into advice for the everyday it might read like this: 'If you want to live you have to live. Live, live live!" 
Writers know that in order to get a novel or research project completed they need to focus and diligently choose to work, put the words down as best they can, a little bit each day. In life it is similar. There are so many distractions fighting for our attention but we need to remember what sort of life we want to live and seek to live that purposefully. It would be sad to reach the end of another year and realise the life we wanted (be it a slower pace, more attention given to the kids, a trip to The Centre) hadn't been realised because of many insignificant interruptions and misplaced priorities.  We need to choose to live, and then actually do it.

Another piece of writerly advice that could be translated for the everyday is: 'Seek opportunities to richly observe the world'. The less polite version of this has been 'Eaves-drop whenever you can'.
The creative mind needs opportunities to absorb information as well as time to engage in the process of creation. The result will be richer writing, full of diverse imagery and unique feeling. Life is very similar. If we are not careful we can go about our day to day ignoring the beauty and interest around us. I remember it clearly from my time living in Nepal, how easy it was to reside within eyesight of the magnificent Himalayas and literally forget to look at them! How important is it for us to keep seeing the world around us? To notice the beauty, the pain, the faces, the needs all allows us to interact with life more meaningfully. And, again, it is a deliberate choice we need to make.

Writers prioritise, plan and make careful decisions in order to improve their craft, but if our lives themselves are a form of creative expression (Ephesians 2:10) how much more should we be alert to opportunities to live each day deliberately and with purpose!

Penny Reeve is a children's author based in Western Sydney. She enjoys sharing her love of writing, books and story with children of all ages. Visit her website for more information or 'like'  her page on facebook.  

Old Tapes

Old Tapes
By Jeanette O'Hagan
6 April 2013

Images fade off the screen
Leaving an after shadow.
Flickering lights
The insistent click, click
Of terminating tape.
The darkness settles into silence.

Followers savour and reflect
in the hushed dimness
Stirring in plush seats
The soft shuffle, shuffle
of feet along the rows
Leaving a wake of empty echoes

Is life a faded celluloid tape
Or a digitally laser etched disc
That slowly fades into silence?
Or does it live again
In the Director's heart and mind;
A precious revived strand in
The ongoing eternal story?

The tape of death rewinds
Bringing new life out of darkness
Light shining, stone rolled away,
The crux of time and history
When dark veil is pulled aside
Life eternal claimed and foreshadowed.

Old tapes made new.
Telling stories
Of lives and eternal futures
Changed and revived
in the twinkling of the eye

Of the Master Story Teller

I've been reflecting on my father's journey with Alzheimer's - the slow fade of memory and how that impacts on him and our family. As my father forgets bit by bit his history and even the names of his children - we do not forget him or his stories.We are connected by fine lines of love and memory. Yet, in time our lives will also fade away but for the promise of our loving Father - “I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palm of my hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16 © NRSV

We recently celebrated the heart of the Christian story at Easter time - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God incarnate. We celebrate the defeat of death and despair.  We celebrate that Jesus changes lives through God's divine resurrection power. 

This changes everything. It changes not only our future beyond the grave - it changes how we should live our lives.

Somehow what started as a contemplation on how Alzheimer's is like the slow fade of an old tape was transformed into the hope and certainty that Jesus takes our old faded tapes and makes them new both in this life and the next. So with Paul, 

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 1:18-21 NLT

Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan

Lives in Brisbane with her family, writes fantasy, blogs and other things.

https://www.facebook.com/JeanetteOHaganAuthorAndSpeaker

http://jennysthread.com/

http://fantasytrekkers.com/

Dealing with Discouragement

Photo Courtesy of "Grant Cochrane/
Freedigitalphotos.net

Jenny* was running late. She grabbed the first seat inside the door, and acknowledged the teacher standing on the opposite side of the room. He welcomed her, unfazed by being interrupted.

We were sharing our homework. A 250-word piece on “Daring to Kick the Universe”.

We soon got around to Jenny. She prefaced her work by sharing that she’d experienced her first troll on her blog that afternoon. We invited her to tell us more about how she felt.

Shock, anger, and frustration reflected in Jenny’s response. I could relate having only the day before read a very unflattering review of Angelguard. It didn’t matter that I had a bunch of other really flattering ones; this one review had bugged me for a day or so.

Just like Jenny, I’m new to this type of negativity. She confessed what I too had contemplated: responding with a curt reply. Neither of us did.

It riled us and were unsure what to do with the negative emotion it produced.

“You’re going to have develop a thick skin,”

“Don’t worry about it, its’ blah blah, blah,”

“Don’t these people have something more interesting in their lives than to openly criticise someone’s work.”

Encouragers expressed all of these statements and more. Our teacher reiterated the over-sensitive nature creative types typically have: they put their work out into the world without any protection hoping and praying it will be (and only) well received. But the well-wishers only served to diminish the flames, not extinguish them.

A few days later I read a few more such reviews and understood why many creative types refuse to read reviews.

My mind, as it can do, spiralled into a pit where I became fearful of what those closest to me would think having recently given them a copy of the book. I recalled the advice I gave Jenny: don’t let the negative emotions linger for long. Discouragement can quickly turn into a little seed of bitterness.

As I put my head on my pillow later that night I turned to the Lord. I sensed the question, “Is this that important?”

“No,” I responded.

“Then let it go. The only one holding onto it is you.”

So I let it go.

And prayed for all those who’d reviewed Angelguard, especially those whose reviews were negative. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7, says we should “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”(5:44). I’ve always found this douses the fire of discouragement in my heart.

The enemy is intentional in his strategies to unsettle us. Discouragement is one of his key weapons.

What strategies have worked effectively for you when you’re feeling discouraged?

* Jenny is a pseudonym for one of my creative writing classmates.

** I was drawn to a doughnut for the photo to this post as I read this quote from Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art”:

“The professional keeps his eye on the doughnut and not on the hole. He reminds himself it’s better to be in the arena, getting stomped by the bull, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot.” (Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, April 2003, p90)

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel, Angelguard, is now available in the USA, Canada and UK. It is scheduled to be released in Australia in May. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website and on his author Facebook page.

Sheilas and Blokes

We Australians are reputed for some funny sayings. Though these names are not used so much in today’s vernacular, in times past the Aussie slang for woman was ‘sheila’, and for man was ‘bloke’.
Last week during a Uni lecture - Cinema Screen and Theatre – we were shown a reel that highlighted the Australian movies of the last 100 years. In the reel they had a section entitled ‘Sheilas’ and specifically focused on the way women had been represented on the screen over that time. I watched with a combination of amusement and cringe as the documentary-maker honed in on the early movies from the 1920’s through to the 1950’s where the female characters were depicted as helpless, pathetic and always in need of rescue. The scenes chosen were done so in a deliberate attempt to show the attitude toward women in the pre-feminist era. There was a very obvious scoffing at how the hero had to come in to lift the heroine from her downcast position, her head lolling back as she stared up in awe at her rescuer. Cringe. It did make me want to say: ‘toughen up princess! Then as we moved on past the 1970’s the heroine became much more aggressive, and was able to fend off attackers herself, using bricks and other bits and pieces that came to hand.
Mind you, the way the blokes were depicted in this collage during the early years showed men who were condescending and verging on arrogant. Sitting in our post-modern era, even I felt like giving them a good shellacking.
As I was pondering on what I had seen during the class I had fully understood the message that was intended: the helpless damsel in distress is pathetic and needs to be an independent, self-sufficient woman. The rescuing hero is a self-important, arrogant, oppressive pig. But something wasn’t quite right with the message, and I was upset by it. I’m a writer of romance, and a strong self-sacrificing hero is essential. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of a useless heroine. She needs to have some gumption and presence of mind, but having need of a rescue and assist every now and again can lead to some nice romantic interaction.
Examining this idea that exists in my mind at least (though I suspect I’m not alone as evidenced by the popularity of the romance industry) raises a question: Where does this fascination for a rescuing hero come from?
In the past I have talked about an innate need for a hero/saviour. The old Webster definition for romance included these words: a fabulous story of love or of war. Romance is all about strong heroes; Action characters who rescue situations and damsels. Why do we, men and women both, enjoy a story of heroism? My immediate response is: all mankind need a hero/saviour, and that hero is Jesus Christ who has effected the great rescue of all time. We do not rescue ourselves from sin and death using a brick or anything else. It is the sacrificing blood of Christ, and our grateful response of surrender to Him. Are we pathetic and useless? Perhaps, but we are also saved, and without Him as our hero we wouldn’t be able to make any sacrifice or be involved in any works that would give us the eternal life we have through His work.
The Biblical picture used is that Christ is like the husband, head of the church - the bride. It isn’t a popular picture in terms of modern feminism, but if we think back to that documentary reel I viewed, Christ doesn’t fit that pattern. He has never been condescending, arrogant or oppressive. That is not who our hero saviour is. And I don’t think he calls us to be pathetic and useless either; Grateful, gentle, submissive perhaps, but not useless. He calls us to courage and action. He tells us to submit our burdens to him and that He will be our strength.
So has post-modern feminism killed off the great hero? How does that affect our view of the need for a saviour? Can the princess really save herself?
For me, I think I will continue to enjoy a strong, self-sacrificing, take-charge hero in the romance I read and write and keep in mind the Saviour who is all those things and more.

Meredith Resce

‘How Sweet The Sound’ by Meredith Resce is a fantasy story about a hero, Prince Justin, sent to the Island of Terranin to save the governor’s daughter, Christina, from the violent usurper, Lucien. It is a parable of the story of Christ the redeemer.

http://tinyurl.com/brj7yqs